Here you’ll find answers to commonly asked questions about the RVSD budget and process for the 2009/2010 school year, as well as details about the Budget Advisory Committee.
Budget Situation
Q: How does the State budget crisis affect RVSD?
A: It means less funding from the State for our schools on top of the State cuts made in the past couple of years.
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Q: How much does RVSD have to cut from the budget for next year?
A: An estimated $770,000 based on the Governor’s proposed budget. This estimate is made by the District Office based on a number of assumptions and projections available to date. Depending on the final State budget, RVSD may have to cut more or less than the estimated $770,000.
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Q: When will the budget cuts go into effect?
A: The new operating budget goes into effect for the 2009/2010 school year.
Q: Is this the end of the cuts?
A: No, not according to current State and local budget projections. At this time, the RVSD school district anticipates continued cuts through the 2012/2013 school year.
Q: Will the cuts be permanent?
A: We hope not but it’s impossible to predict at this time.
Q. Is facilities planning part of the budget discussion?
A: Yes. Because budget decisions today may affect facilities planning, the FPAC, BAC, District Office and Board are all working together to assess the big picture and propose recommendations that satisfy both the short-term budget constraints and long-term needs.
Facilities Background …
At the beginning of the 08/09 school year, the Board of Trustees directed the Superintendent to hire a consulting firm to conduct a study of the District’s facilities. At the same time, a subcommittee of the District Leadership Council (DLC) was formed to develop options for facilities for RVSD for the next four to ten years. The Facilities Planning Advisory Committee (FPAC) constituents, timeline and charge to the committee were reviewed by the Board of Trustees on October 23, 2008. The DLC met on November 3, 2008 to develop the Guiding Principles for Facilities. These criteria inform the work of the FPAC as they consider the enrollment and facilities information, and develop options to accommodate the long term enrollment growth in the District.
RVSD Budget Process
Q: What is a zero-based budget?
A: A zero-based budget begins with nothing but a list of the core items required to run a school: a principal, teachers, custodian, administrative assistant, and state/federally-mandated services such as special education. Everything else is categorized as non-core and are added back in the budget as funds allow and as prioritized by the Board based on recommendations by the Budget Advisory Committee and others.
Q: How will the zero-based budgeting process work?
A: It’s a several step process:
- Core costs are identified and used to create the budget foundation.
- Non-core programs/activities are detailed as add-ons. These include but are not limited to:
- The Board reviews and confirms that the core budget is complete and all non-core items fully identified, and then passes the budget to the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), which is charged with making recommendations to the Board about what programs (current or new) should be built on top of the core foundation, and in what order, given available funds.
- The Board makes final decisions about the budget.
Q: Can I participate in the Budget Advisory Committee meetings?
A: Absolutely! These meetings are open to everyone.
Q: What doe the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) do?
A: The BAC is a district committee created to:
- Educate the district’s constituents about the budget process for RVSD and public education as a whole.
- Communicate information to RVSD constituents about the budget process in a clear and transparent way including, but not limited to, informal dialogues.
- Advise and make recommendations to the district school board on budgetary issues including overall priorities and revenue requirements based on committee understanding of the budget process and community feedback.
Q: Who participates on the BAC?
A: There are 50 members total:
- Board Trustee: 1
- Superintendent: 1
- Chief Business Official: 1
- Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction: 1
- Site Principals: 5
- Directors: 4
- Teachers: 6
- Classified Staff: 6
- District Union Representation (RVTA & CSEA): 2
- Parents: 22
- YES Foundation: 1
Impact
Q: Are class sizes going to increase?
A: That’s one of the many options to evaluate. The Board is eager to hear community input on priorities to help inform this tough decision-making process. Come to a community meeting, email the Board members or post a comment here.
Q: Why are teachers getting pink slips now?
A: The timing is mandated by law:
:: March 15 — deadline for notifying certificated employees (teachers and administrators) if they might potentially lost their jobs.
:: May 15 — deadline to issue final notifications to those who will actually be laid off. This could be less than the number of notices issued on March 15, depending on budget decisions.
